Pedophile handed14-year-jail term for raping 8-year-old girl

A 46-year-old man, Salisu Abdullahi, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a Federal High Court in Kano for raping an eight year-old-girl.
The convict was arraigned on a one-count charge of illicit sexual intercourse by the National Agency for the Prohibition in Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP.
The presiding judge, Justice J. K. Omotosho, said that the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the convict committed the offence and convicted him without an option of fine.
The accused’s offence contravened the provision of Section 16 of NAPTIP Enforcement and Administration Act.
Counsel to the accused, Mr. Jamilu Ahmed, urged the court to tamper justice with mercy, stating that his client was a first time offender.
Ahmed told the court that the convict who is the bread winner of his family is married with children and has an aged mother, adding that Salisu is remorseful and has been remanded in custody for close to one year.
Justice J. K. Omotsho, in his judgment sentenced the accused to 14 years in prison without a fine as a result of the unrepentant attitude of the convict during the trial.

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My village priest said spirit stole $3000 of my boss’ wife – Man tells court

One Chike Akwittis alias ‘Dr. Justified Isioma Nnaemeka,’ was Wednesday arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The accused is facing a 4-count charge bordering on marriage scam and theft.
Akwittis was accused of stealing $3000 belonging to her boss’ wife.
He reportedly claimed that the chief priest in his village said it was a ‘spirit’ that stole the money.
He was also accused of entering into a fake marriage agreement with a Road Safety official and in the process swindled her of several millions of naira to the tune of N6.7million.
According the prosecutor, by the act of marriage scam, the accused breached Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, whereas, by this act of theft, the accused breached Section 286 (1) and punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code.
Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the four counts when they were read to him.

In view of his plea, counsel to EFCC, Ola T. Oji, urged the court to fix a date for hearing and asked that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending trial.
But the defense counsel, U. C. Oparaujo, through an oral application, prayed the court to grant his client bail.
Oparaujo said relying on Section 158 and 165 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, the defendant had never breached the administrative bail earlier granted him by EFCC.
In his response, counsel to EFCC argued that, though the defendant had not defaulted in the administrative bail granted him by the Commission, “the game has changed as he is now before a court of law. He added that the defendant does not live within the jurisdiction of the court.”
The chief judge, Justice Sylvanus C. Oriji admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N3.5million with two sureties in like sum.
In his ruling, Oriji said the sureties must be resident within the F.C.T, their addresses must be verified by either the Registrar of the court or the EFCC and one of the sureties must be a civil servant not below salary grade level 12.
Justice Oriji ordered that the accused be remanded in Kuje prison pending the perfection of his bail terms.
He adjourned to January 23, 2017 for trial.

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How Libya deportees kidnapped, locked man in toilet for days in Edo

Members of a deadly kidnap syndicate, that had been on the wanted list of the police, have been arrested in Edo State.
The suspects, Best Iyoha, 34, and Junior Ekete, 27, were alleged to be members of a gang that had terrorized parts of Edo and Delta states.
They were arrested by the anti-kidnapping squad of the Edo State Police Command on Monday after they kidnapped a 40-year-old businessman, Mr. Okpogie Osaigbovo, who was supervising workmen in his uncompleted building around Country Home Motel Road in Benin City.

The duo stormed the project site in a red Toyota Camry car with registration number Lagos BDG-742-CL, held the man at gunpoint and whisked him away in the trunk of the car.
According to police investigation, Osaigbovo was locked up in a toilet at House 5, Hope Close, Off Country Home Motel Road, Benin City for two nights, after which the suspects opened a ransom negotiation to the tune of N200 million.
The victim’s family members were said to have parted with N8 million before the victim was released but moments after the release, men of the anti-kidnapping squad of the state police command went on the trail of the suspects and arrested them in their hideout.
Confirming the arrest while parading the suspects yesterday at the command, the state Commissioner of Police, CP, Haliru Gwandu, said “Tough times awaited any person or group of persons that would want to engage in criminal activities in Edo State.

“Two Samsung mobile phones belonging to their victims, the Toyota Camry car used in the operation, two cut-to-size guns, two laptops and four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects upon their arrest.”
He urged the people of Edo State to continue to render useful information to the police aimed to chheck the activities of criminals.
The suspects, in their confession, spoke on their level of involvement.
According to them, they were recently deported from Libya and were trying to raise more money to travel overseas before luck ran out on them.

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Boko Haram: Troops Kill 17, rescue 605 in Borno

The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor has disclosed that the Operation Rescue Finale launch by the command was making headway in its activities in the Sambisa Forest.
The commander while briefing newsmen at the headquarters, Wednesday, in Maiduguri, told journalists that troops has so far cleared almost the entire Sambisa Forest and have continued to make progress with good records in various operations in the last one week.
According to him, 17 Boko Haram fighters have been wasted while engaging troops fighting in various locations within the forest, an operation which also led to the rescue of 605 hostages.

“These victims who have been rescued include, 69 adult male, 180 adult female, 227 male children and 229 female children.” he added.

While speaking on the money recovered from the Boko Haram fighters as well as the pile of weapons so far recovered, General Irabor said, ” the weapons are being destroyed as the army do not use them.” He, however, added that, the money are being return to the treasury through the appropriate channel after proper record had been taken.
He also said that Boko Haram fighter that have been arrested are in the custody of the Nigerian army where they’re being taking care of, and will subsequently be counseled before they are reintegrated into the society.
While answering questions on whether or not the military is ready to open the road to Kukawa local government in the northern Borno by December 4, 2016 as claimed by the Chairman of Kukawa local government , General Irabor said, there was nothing like that, as the road will remain close due to activities of the insurgents in northern Borno.

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